Blood Rain
by Sweetest Days
Summary: Life as a pureblood wasn't meant to be smooth. It was all a lie from the posh parties that showed off their grace to the loyalty they were shown. It was the world she belonged to. It had taken her happiness in a bloody affair of politics and hate and denied her a coffin. She would play the game again for her own reasons. Just like a good little pureblood should. Pairings not made.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author note:**_ I didn't write this to post it, it was a request from a close friend. But now that I've gotten several chapters of it done I find my objective changed. I still want to make her happy but I also wanted to post it. Like a compulsion with me, for some reason whenever I type out anything fanfiction I have to post it and my brain won't settle until I do. So with her permission I post away... I think this will have weekly updates unless something dramatic and altering happens in my otherwise mundane life.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own my darling OC's... the others are the property of more important people than me.

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prologue start

Brother had explained it all to me. It was all an obligatory love. It had never been a genuine affair on the part of our parents in regard to me. But it was alright. Because he said he and Sister loved me enough for both of them and even more.

I recalled now how mother was. She only ever saw me when there was a reason to do so. Like a soiree or dinner. I remember thinking how beautiful she was with a smile softening her delicate features and her hair down to create a halo of gold around her face. She would always smell of lavender when she wrapped me into a perfumed embrace.

My father was the polar opposite of her. He was darker skinned and had dark navy blue hair that waved with an almost tangible energy. He was serious and rarely bestowed affection on his three children. It seemed he felt something for me however since mother was so rarely present in my younger years and not at all in my older ones.

He would call me to him three times a day and pull me to his lap. His large hand would run through my hair as he allowed me to feed from him. Then he would allow me to sit with him in his office before Claude came to round me up for a game.

I too was different from my mother and siblings Claude and Estella. They had inherited my mother's fair coloring and golden locks. I had inherited my father's hair and even his curiously blue eyes. The sun was the enemy to all vampires but to me it was doubly annoying. I had skin that Claude said made me look like a ghost, and he often joked I could be seen in the dark. The sun would scorch me in long doses.

I was happy despite the lack of real affection. That was probably because I had Claude.

Claude was the first born and only son in our family. Estella was the first born daughter and they were more of an age together. It was natural that eventually they'd turn more to each other and leave out their younger and less active Sister.

Before sadness could be felt beyond a mild twinge though father announced his intention to hold a Soiree for my birthday and even intended to oversee it himself. This was an odd thing.

father normally left such trivial things to mother. But in this he was adamant. He even took me to the seamstress, something mother rarely did. She bought all my dresses ready. She said the world outside our home was far too dangerous for a young thing like me, who hadn't even dropped her fangs yet!

It was a memorable time for me. Father had been his normal stoic self but he took me shopping and even allowed me to explore the town we lived near. When we came to the pond he lifted me to stand on the wall fencing around it and held me balanced so I could look on the ducks swimming.

At the party I met my little friend and companion. He was of the Aristocracy class. A boy named Riccardo. He had sun kissed hair and skin and was very energetic. He easily wrapped me into his world, claimed me as his own despite the fact he was not pureblood like I was.

Mother threw a fit over my allowed friendship with Riccardo. He was unsuitable for a Pureblood to be so close to, she said. He was a lower rank than us, fine as a servant but little else. Father rolled right over her and allowed it. He said that I needed friends since Claude and Estella were growing closer, as was right.

"If you truly wished for little Camilla to have a more suitable partner than you should have consented to another child, my dear one."

Her eyes had narrowed dangerously. "You know why I would not. She was never to be born in the first place!"

My father scoffed. "And you blame me? You were the one with passion in you."

"I had to keep your attention somehow! Otherwise you would have continued to shame me with that… that woman."

"It is more than acceptable for a Pureblood to have at least one Mistress of Aristocratic lineage. In fact it is nearly expected in our country."

I had been a young girl then, only six whenI heard the hated words my darling mother spilled about me. Riccardo was waiting outside for me but I couldn't move from my shadowed corner.

Claude and Estella bounded noisily around the corner and found me with tearful eyes. Estella had been mildly sympathetic but wanted to run off again after a quick hug. Claude however resisted her attempts to pull him from me. He waved her off and she went willingly.

He then lifted me up into his arms and carried me from the study. He was fourteen at that time and normally wasn't to be bothered with his younger sister. But he sat in a chair and told me things.

"There, there love. Mother has always been this way with you so there is no need for the tears you shed. We are of a pureblood. It is not seemly for you to give way so. You have an image to uphold even if you are a third child. And with your little friends waiting!"

When I continued to cry he sighed. "Well they are lesser class so it's fine for them to wait I suppose. Come now, you don't need her love. You have Estella's and Father's. You are much loved by your little friends."

"And you?" I prompted sadly.

Claude smiled and pulled me closer. He brushed his lips over mine in a family kiss. Then he moved to kiss my cheek, licking the tears away. "You have always held it, darling love."

I had been satisfied then. I went to my friends' house and for the years after I was outwardly calm about the duplicity of my lady mother. When it came time for my learning to hunt at the age of ten it was Claude who took me with father's permission.

It fell to Estella to show me how to be a proper Pureblood woman. Mother intervened at times when I made a serious mistake. Estella had become a near mirror image of how mother had looked when she was Seventeen. The difference was she was lighter and more willing to play "Mother" to me. She laughed gaily often and told me stories. She saw it as her personal mission to insure I found a proper Pureblood boy to marry one day.

But as I grew older it was Claude who sought me out most often. If he could he would convince me to stay with him for the nights when we were most active. He was tolerable of Riccardo who I liked to keep close to me.

Riccardo had turned eleven this year and had, despite my father's assurance it wasn't necessary, sworn an oath to be my loyal servant until death, an oath he took seriously.

When I cried about it father had explained that each Pureblood had some in the Aristocracy who were more loyal to them than the other Purebloods. It wasn't a bad thing to have in the long run for there would always be someone who could be more trusted than others.

I was now ten. My brother had become all things to me. He was my friend and confident. He was the one who played with me when Riccardo was busy. He teased me since I could have simply ordered the Aristocrat to me, since he had sworn to me that I was his Master. But I didn't want to be a bossy owner. I saw Estella order her Aristocrats around and it seemed wrong in a way.

I was sitting beside father's chair, absently staring into the fire as he read. Estella had gone off to a party with mother and Claude. It wasn't often father went to them, saying that they were boring and stuffy and it was much too tiresome seeing certain people pretend to respect him when really they would rather he and other Purebloods didn't exist. I adopted his attitude with ease.

Claude came home early. When he wrapped me in his arms and held me father said goodnight and went to his study.

At the time Claude was nineteen years and had reached full maturity. His gold hair was kept neatly trimmed with bangs to shade his left eye. He was as tall as our father but slender as our mother. He had some muscle to him but not overmuch. The muscle was mostly in his legs and thighs from long hours on horseback.

Claude was at times a thinker, others a prankster. He sometimes got a dark look in his eyes if I ignored him for Riccardo. It wasn't my fault though. He was older and more able to spend time with Estella. Riccardo was more of an age with me and he didn't hurt me accidentally with teasing. But Claude had my most affection.

"Hello Camilla darling," he said sweetly after kissing my cheek. "And how have you faired with our stern and serious father?"

"He isn't stern," I replied promptly as I settled into his hug.

"Well no matter. I'm home now and utterly free to be at your mercy. What shall we do?"

"I'm not sure," I said thinking hard.

"Hmm. Shall I service you?" His voice held a teasing note.

"What's service," I asked him curiously.

"If you need to ask then you aren't ready for that delight. perhaps I could read to you. You used to enjoy that quite a lot."

I giggled. "I'm too old for that!"

"Really? Well then. You're too young too be serviced and too old to read to. What to do?" he put on a mock thinking expression.

Before he could say anything else mother was there with Estella. Claude kept a hand around me to keep me close but he looked at mother. The light teasing left his eyes as he looked at her with some unknowable emotion.

"Mother, Estella. I thought you'd stay longer at the party." he said it politely enough.

"We were worried about you," Estella said quietly, her eyes on me.

"Estella dear. Go take Camilla to her rooms. It is past time for her to be readying for bed."

"Of course."

Claude looked displeased but when I turned for a hug he smiled and held me gently for a moment. Then I took Estella's hand and she took me upstairs, holding me gently until I went to sleep.

The next day I discovered that mother intended to find me a fiancé. Mother had decided there simply weren't enough to choose from in England so it was decided she would take me on a trip around to various countries to see if a suitable suitor could be found. Claude seemed annoyed but he kept silent. I was hurt by the glare he sent me when I tried to hug him goodbye.

"You'll soon be someone else's property, Camilla. It isn't the Pureblood way to be attached to others once that happens."

Riccardo accompanied me. It was his duty he said to mother. To me he remained the usual joking boys, not caring about my station in the least.

Life with mother and without my siblings and Father was… not quiet as I liked. There was always a soiree to attend. There was always a long plane ride. By the time I was thirteen I felt like a cow on the market.

I had long since stopped wishing that I could be made of the sun as mother was so she'd loved me. I let my long navy blue hair grow to my wrists and learned what suited my slender figure.

I often went shopping with Riccardo and was always polite to the Purebloods I met. But I was only ever that.

I never was very affectionate with them. The times mother would go ahead and draw up a contract with them father would reject them. He said I was to make my own decision.

I saw plenty of countries in those three years. I saw Paris and reveled in the fine silks to be had. I adored Venice and the fact I could sit in the Palazzo for hours with only myself for company. America was a bit of a trying thing since the Purebloods there were scattered through the states. My favorite though was New York where there were amazing shopping malls and a lovely blood bank.

When we returned home for short jaunts Claude was very attentive to me. He kept me by his side despite mother's glowering. Father told Claude to choose whichever he wished and that it hardly mattered. I wasn't sure what he meant but Claude seemed to take him at his word with whatever it was. It made mother furious however and Estella seemed almost sick with a kind of worry.

Claude took me on rides and also out to the theater. He seemed pleased with my new appreciation for expensive things but more so when I turned from them to be comfortable. He insisted that I share his bed and I didn't see any harm in it, my heart swelling happily that he seemed to enjoy my company.

Then mother decided since I was unsuited to be married just yet I would go to school until she found me a fiancé. She and Claude got into it heavily and when I saw Claude's displeasure with the idea I went to father and pled with him.

The next day Claude kissed me fiercely and lingeringly. I was surprised I liked it but I let him do it as many times as he wanted the next few days. Then he announced his engagement to Estella.

To my surprise he didn't look happy but he wasn't willing to talk about it with me. So I held my feelings down and examined them before I slept. What I felt for Claude was affection yes, but it was the affection of a sibling. It was not a passionate thing. I told myself that I didn't mind he would marry Estella.

After that my father became very annoyed with mother. Their arguments were making us all miserable but whatever had happened had shattered father's affection for mother. He even had her sleep in a separate wing of our home and brought in an Aristocrat named Rosie.

Claude tried to seek me out after the announcement. I mostly ran away to see Riccardo or go to the summer home for a break. When he did corner me he kissed me and tried to illicit the response of contentment I had felt to make him happy. But they merely made me become angry now and a little hurt that he would use me.

Riccardo had given me the sexual education everyone else had neglected to give me. He explained everything and even explained why mother hated me. It was because Claude had always shown a favor to me that should have gone to Estella as the elder. Technically mother should have tried to have another son for my own fiancé.

I began to grow closer to Riccardo after Claude stopped playing with me. He filled a void I suppose. The day came when he asked, in complete seriousness if it would be okay if he became my fiancé. My father had looked amused, smiling slightly. Mother looked furious because he had asked at dinner.

"I am fourteen. Most vampires are getting engaged. I do love her My Lord. She would always be shown respect in my home."

I was vaguely tempted to smack my face with my hand at his rambling. I however found myself torn between annoyance and the idea his gracelessness was charming. I smiled and held his hand happily. I may only have been thirteen to a human. But in our world that hardly mattered.

"And this is who you want, Camilla?" Father asked it in a neutral tone, being carefully blank. mother growled slightly.

"I would be very happy with him," I said practically beaming.

"You can't be seriously entertaining this idea!" Mother snapped in a rage.

"He is an Aristocrat but he came from a Pureblood male. He is as pure an Aristocrat there is. Why should I object?" Father responded coolly.

A glass shattered in front of my Father. Father looked at Claude with some scolding in his eyes. "Learn to control your temper boy."

I looked at Claude in concern. Was he not happy that I was to be as happy as he was with Estella?

He glared at me and then at Riccardo fiercely. Riccardo quelled a bit but he mostly hung on through the glare. For once I glared right back at my elder Brother.

"Might I be excused, Father?" He didn't wait for a reply as was polite. He simply tossed back his goblet of warmed blood and shoved from the table.

"I expect you to have a talk with him," Father said to Mother.

"And say what exactly?" She snarled. "That his Sister is to be going to useless filth?"

"Control your words! You speak now of your daughters fiancé."

Riccardo and I gasped and shared a smile. Father was accepting of the proposal!

"You did this, dear." Father sighed when mother seethed. "You knew what the boy wanted and you ignored it. This new anguish among us is your own making."

The next few weeks were blissful. It was a wonderful thing to know I belonged now to Riccardo.

As for mother she called back Estella to keep Claude busy. Estella was ecstatic to learn the news. She clapped her hands gaily and seemed genuinely interested in keeping the waters smoothed between Claude and Riccardo.

We were still young so are contact was limited to our normal play and also to quick kisses, holding hands. It was purely innocence and beautiful for it.

It came to it that I got hurt once. I fell from my palomino pony that Estella had gotten me to celebrate my engagement, which had been announced. Riccardo was with me. He was fifth teen now. The bloodlust was strong in him, stronger than it was with me. I had fractured my skull on a rock and blood pooled heavily on it while my skin mended itself.

I noted his look at it. "Are you thirsty?" I reached a bloody hand to him. I was hurt when he withdrew sharply.

"Don't tempt me with that Camilla. It wouldn't be right."

"Why?"

"It is forbidden to drink the blood of a Pureblood." He swallowed when I licked my hand clean.

"But… I'm your fiancé. Wouldn't that make it right? Father said that once I am married my blood belongs to you anyway," I said.

"We aren't wed yet. That won't happen for years."

I shifted closer to him. "But we will be. And I want you to live a long life. If you drink my blood that'll happen."

He swallowed as I wrapped my hands around his neck and shifted so my neck was bare to him. I had seen Father drink from his Mistress like this so I figured it was a proper thing for me to do with my fiancé.

"Camilla…"

"Go on. Now!" I wasn't aware at the time how I accidentally used a bit of my power, controlling him, taking his free will from him. I wouldn't be aware of that until I was older and knew what using that power felt like.

His fangs sunk in and he shifted me so I was on the ground with him above me. It felt painful but then very satisfying. The scent of my blood permeated the air as he feasted.

When he was done he fell beside me, breathing heavily. His eyes were bright with the luster of blood. I was proud that my blood now pumped through his veins. I didn't protest when he pulled me to his own neck. I knew in that moment that we would always be happy together…

End prologue

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Author note: Well I hope you'll review. I respond to them all, be they flames or critisism. Or even just simple likes. And not to mention they do make a story grow, to know it's liked.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author note:**_ We got so much snow here! I've been very lazy in my writing while I make a snow village in the backyard for my dogs to destroy two seconds later. Hope you guys are staying warm as toast too!

_**IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTICE:** _From now on when they are speaking in English the words will be in italics! And I only did the prologue in first person.

_**Myra R Kuran:**_ I'm glad you liked it. As for cross academy and all that goodness they come in... Now! As for ideas I just might pick your brain on a better later on if you don't mind. I hope you keep liking this!

_**Komakipureblood:** _When I posted I had a feeling there'd be backlash onto poor Camilla as a sue. It didn't really bother me, I get some amusement out of flamers, especially when others like the story as it is just fine. But I;m glad you find her to be refreshing and I really hope she keeps that up for you! And that you keep enjoying.

_**Disclaimer:**_I own my OC's.

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Chapter one

Headmaster Cross was on hand with his beloved adoptive daughter Yuki and Zero to wait for the new transfer. He fidgeted slightly. He hadn't told Zero just who the new student was. Or more like what…

Yuki knew of course. She was waiting for Kaname to come out of the school grounds as well. It was his duty to greet any new vampires coming to the academy, to prep them on the rules and regulations put on them.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Ah Kaname! You arrived just in time." Cross smiled to cover the fact Zero had tensed and began glaring at the pureblood male.

"Yes, I'm sorry for being late. Hello, Yuki." He bestowed a warm smile to the shorter girl.

"Ah! Hello Kaname." She smiled a bit embarrassedly.

Kaname gently ruffled her hair. When his attention shifted to Zero his smile vanished to be replaced by an indifferent mask. "Kiryu. How have you been lately?"

It was obvious Zero wanted to attack. His fingers actually moved to the Bloody Rose. Before he could make the move Kaname saw coming Cross broke in.

"Oh look! That must be them now!"

A black limo was pulling into the gravel drive that lead to the academy. Yuki turned to give it her full attention. It pulled to a halt before them. The back left door swung open and a rather tall English woman stepped out. She gave the group a look over before she turned gracefully to help out her companion, heels making a sharp click on the pavement. Zero stiffened again.

"_Thank you, Nessa." _

The silky and cultured voice went with a woman dressed well in a pair of obviously expensive jeans and a long sleeved shirt with trailing sleeves. A pair of thick sunglasses adorned her eyes due to the remaining sunlight that lingered over the grounds. She pushed them to her head to look them over.

"You must be Camilla Demonaides! And you are Vanessa Maesar. Welcome to my academy!" Cross, in his exuberance went to hug Camilla tightly to him.

She recoiled a bit naturally. Before Cross could touch her Vanessa was there in front of her, a long and deadly dagger pointed at the Headmaster's neck. Zero was there as well with his gun pointed at Vanessa. Only Kaname and Yuki remained unarmed, Yuki because Kaname had grabbed her swiftly when she went to the aid of her Step Father.

She looked up at Kaname beseechingly. Kaname let the moment drag however. He wanted to see how this Pureblood female would handle it…

Camilla stood there for a full minute before she stepped up to Vanessa's side. She gently touched the cool metal of the dagger and pushed it down a bit, forcing her to lower it or cut her.

"_My Lady…" _She bowed slightly before retracting the blade all together.

"Nessa, please. We aren't home in England anymore. We must speak our new homes language," She said so coolly without any real scolding in her voice. "There now. Our weapons are down. Or is it considered polite to hold someone at gunpoint here in Japan?" She smirked.

"Vampire!" Zero spat in heated anger.

Camilla smiled, revealing her pointed fangs. Vanessa glared at Zero who hadn't lowered the gun. "My Lady please. Just let me handle that scum."

Camilla smiled at her softly. "No. We may be animals but there are some people who are simply not worth the effort."

Zero didn't like that much better. In fact his finger pushed the trigger down slightly.

"Kiryu calm down!" Cross begged. "Miss Camilla is a Pureblood!"

Zero growled slightly. But he withdrew the gun with a scoff. "All I need is a reason, Vampire. Pureblood or not if you give me one I'll kill you."

"Zero!" Yuki broke from Kaname to stand by her friend.

Camilla looked at her before turning her eyes back to Zero. "How terrifying, Mr. Hunter."

Camilla felt Vanessa shift to stand beside her. That was the way of their personal relationship that she could stand on a semi-equal footing with her.

"Camilla, is it? We've been expecting you." Kaname stepped forward and smoothly lifted her hand to his lips.

"How do you do." She stated politely. "You must be the Kuran son. And how are they, your parents?"

Kaname released her. His gaze became shuttered as he met her own. "Unfortunately they are no more."

Camilla startled a bit. Being in England had limited her knowledge of the going on outside of her own villa. Truthfully she hadn't really stirred from the villa for many years. Naturally she had expected the world to be different.

Still this was surprising. When she had met the Kuran Lord and Lady they had seemed so very full of life. The thought that they would seek their coffins willingly was a false one to her. It simply wasn't plausible.

"You have my sympathies, Lord Kaname. I'm sure you hardly need them however."

Kaname closed his eyes for a moment, breaking the link between them. His lips quirked in a half-smile. "No, I'm grateful."

Camilla resisted the urge to step away. There was something very unsettling about this man. She had been around pureblood males before. Years of her life had been spent being paraded by them. Like Kaname they had all had the aura of superiority to them.

He however… there was something very unsettling about the aura. It reached to tease and wrap her in mild confusion. It was impossible to pinpoint exactly the difference but it made her hackles rise and gave her a feeling of unease and desire to strike out to make it vanish.

It was said that the Kuran's were the leading body of purebloods in Japan. It was also said that they could even bring the purebloods in other countries to their heel. She hadn't believed it when she met his parents. They had been wrapped in the glamour and spice of a vampire's soiree. There had been power but not to this degree. It wasn't as… vibrant…

Now… it was there. Camilla had spent a life of heeling before her Mother. The only man she wished to heel to was long gone, ashes, a haunting memory she was unable to shake. She would have to be very careful to not let herself fall under this purebloods sway as she was sure countless others had.

"Well my sympathies aren't mere artifice. I meant to visit them again; they were so kind to me."

His eyes grew more probing. "They knew why you never came I'm sure. The story circulated with heavy liberalness through all the higher purebloods. Shall I extend my sympathies as well?"

Her eyes narrowed. vanessa, sensing her new displeasure, stepped forward. All gazes shifted to her.

She was a marvelous study of the female figure. Her gaze was like that of a sharp hawk, one who was more aware than necessary of the seedy underbelly of the world they inhabited. Her eyes pierced all too easily the deceptions there were to be unearthed and her full and sensuous mouth often lifted in a scornful amusement.

Her body was long and pleasingly muscled. Her long black hair was kept back with a throng of leather. It was her eyes that had first attracted Camilla to her. They were beautiful lime-green, sometimes seeming hideous neon. It was this difference that made her bind her to her.

She had been very difficult to bring over and it had meant exercising a control over Camilla's more volatile instincts in order to gain Vanessa's trust. It had been well worth it.

"My Lady is tired. If it pleases you I shall bring the bags up after I see her to her room." Her voice was unfailingly polite, the perfect gentlewoman. Only Camilla knew that she would get her way through force if she felt it necessary.

Kaname glanced at her and held her gaze.

"Of course," he demurred easily. "How silly of us not to think of her exhaustion. Then I'll introduce you both officially to the others and see about your personal effects being transferred to the rooms. I assume you've read the rulebook?"

Vanessa turned to follow her lead. When she stepped forward so did she. "Yes, that trite little thing. Vampires living off of tablets... I am correct in assuming this is a practice only recognized in Japan?" Camilla smiled.

Kaname casually grasped her elbow to lead her to the humans. "That's true. For someone who closed off from the world you are informed on some things… this is the Headmaster Cross."

"Hello there! How lovely it is to have you here!" he smiled so brightly. Camilla blinked before allowing a small smile to tilt her lips up.

"I'm glad to be here. It is a wonderful thing you are trying to create. Imagine if humans and vampires could live side by side!"

Cross teared up a bit. "So you are a believer as well? Oh how-"

"I am not. I think that though we are of similar body and both species capable of feeling we both labor under the assumption we are the head of the food chain. Though that is proven in the vampire… humans have an inborn need to survive that I believe would cause them to attack us if they knew of us."

"Then what are you doing here?" Zero snapped irritably.

"I'm more than willing to be proven wrong. Besides Cross seems so fascinating. If he doesn't object I'd love to pick that brain of his to get to the root of this dream of his. Perhaps he'll make a believer of me." She smirked at Zero with narrowed eyes.

"That would be wonderful." Cross grinned. "And this here is my own little Daughter Yuki!" He gushed.

"Hello! It's nice to meet you Demonaides-san. And you as well Maesar-san." Yuki smiled hesitantly, secretly counting the differences between her and the pureblood woman before her.

Vanessa smiled slightly. "There is no reason for formality with me. It is a pleasure to meet you as well."

Yuki blushed slightly. "Oh, er… in that case call me Yuki too."

"If that's your wish," Vanessa commented in a neutral tone.

Camilla chuckled a bit. "There's my Nessa. So blank one moment and the next a horrid little ball of flame. Don't worry Yuki. She'll warm to you all after awhile. She likes to act tough but really she is a softie."

Vanessa gave her a small look of embarrassment. "Would you not say things like that with a straight face?"

Kaname intervened before she could taunt her servant more. "Kiryu here is hardly necessary to introduce. Come along then, you both. I'll see you settled before returning to class."

Camilla and Vanessa bid Cross and the others goodbye before following Kaname through the grounds. Camilla took note of the two dueling atmospheres of the grounds. The humans were so light compared to the direction the Moon dorms were. Even the air had a different taste, it was denser and the energy was more pressing. It would be suffocating for most humans to step foot behind the black ironed gates.

To Camilla it was like greeting the unpleasant soirees she had attended. This was the air of a gathering of Vampires. The many dark natured personalities always seemed to mix to create a chill. Though Vampires were more than skilled at covering that dark nature through basic trickery and deception there wasn't a need to do so among their own kind when away from humans' prying eyes.

She much preferred her villa where she and Vanessa were the only two vampires in the vicinity. The visits from her family were short and infrequent. The grounds were allowed to retain the pleasing gentleness that mother nature created. She avoided her family when it could be done as well. It must have been at least a decade since she had seen her Father. Longer for her Mother and siblings.

The inside of the building was exactly as Camilla had imagined it to be since it reflected her own tastes of luxurious sin. The furniture was the finest that money could buy, the various knick knacks so polished they gleamed.

"Welcome to the Moon Dorms," Kaname said.

If Camilla was pleased vanessa was indifferent. Most vampires were creatures of comfort. Especially if they could afford to be frivolous. SHe had gotten used to Camilla and her finery and even became tolerable when she pushed her to purchase things for herself or showered her with gifts. But Vanessa needed no finery or creature comforts besides clothes. In her eyes it was all useless rubbish.

Kaname showed Vanessa her room first. She bent to her knee before Camilla and kissed her hand while bidding her goodnight. Camilla voiced the words as well and followed Kaname.

He opened a door for her and she stepped into a room of fine furniture that faced the open grounds. The scent caught her first. It was lavender and jasmine… the scent her darling sister and mother wore.

"That candle…" She muttered.

"I called your Father. He said you enjoyed the smells as a child."

Camilla crossed to the candle and extinguished the flames with her fingertips. "I am afraid my Father is uninformed. They are a repulsive combination."

She raised her slightly burned skin and studied them. Riccardo's face danced before her view for a moment before she blinked it away.

She turned to Kaname with a smile that revealed her fangs. "If you wish to know something simply ask me. Or vanessa, she could tell you as well. Some things she knows better than I do myself."

"I'll remember that. Your blood tablets are in the desk drawer. I've heard you are an avid reader. There is an extensive library in the basement chambers. Feel free to take books from it."

"That is correct. I do enjoy reading. These rooms are lovely. I have to thank you for thinking of the candle and the other comforts you're offering."

"You could tell me your reason for agreeing to come here. You are not close to your father and have denied him for many years yet this move you followed."

Camilla turned to encounter Kaname's gaze again. She held it for a moment in silent debate. She could tell him part of the truth. But it was such a multi reason. As it was it was still only a half formed notion. All she knew was her Father wanted her and Vanessa at this school and then her own deductions.

It had been a bolt from the blue, the letter. She had initially bristled at the command within but she soon relaxed after Vanessa had calmed her down. It was simply a pity Vanessa had let her destroy the fine china tea set she'd ordered specially to compliment Camilla before she halted her anger.

Camilla waved a vague hand before her. "My reasons are my own. I'm merely following my father's will like a well brought up pureblood daughter must do."

Kaname narrowed his eyes dangerously. For a moment he wished she was an Aristocrat so he could force the truth from her, the full of it. There had to be something else. It would take more than a hinted threat on their life to make a recluse suddenly enter society again.

Everyone knew the Demonaides family was horridly fractured, the wife having been set aside and replaced with an aristocrat. The heir apparent was not enamored with his wife at all though he had done his service in trying to create a young son. A hopeless task. The eldest Daughter was weak willed and ill in the body.

It was a rare thing but it did happen that vampires were infertile or with a long term illness.

Camilla had her own place in the tragedy of the Demonaides. It had caused her to withdraw from the society for years. Rumors abound that she had been thinking of her coffin. It was widely speculated that the servant she had now was her last reason for not leaving the world to slumber.

Kaname sighed gently. Unfortunately Camilla wasn't an Aristocrat. She was a pureblood and therefore on equal level with him. Trying to control her through his abilities would be a useless endeavor. If he wanted to know the whole reason behind her arrival here he would have to use other means.

He had to ensure this wouldn't interfere with his plans…

Camilla stretched out on the bed after Kaname left. Her eyes were unfocused as she recalled the letter from her Father. She had not been completely honest with Kaname.

Her Father had hinted in his subtle way that her Mother was moving again. Being low in the short list for her Husbands affection had made her furious. However Father mentioned that his mistress Rosie was expecting twins and that Claude had taken two mistresses and one had been brutally attacked and killed, the other barely surviving.

Everything her Mother wished for, a happy husband and two beautiful children happily wed had fractured under her own mistakes. Camilla was aware her Mother blamed her and hated her. Her Father had confirmed it and that was why he wished for her to be safe in the academy.

Camilla would have ignored it in her fury. But under it Vanessa pointed out that the attacks made on Rosie and Claude's mistresses were similar, so very similar to a previous murder. One closer to her heart…

With a small sigh she glanced to where the candle was. Without thinking about it she made it heat until wax pooled and all that was left was the unburned wick.

end chapter

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Author note: I hope you guys enjoyed that. Be kind and review! And stay warm. And thanks to the people who alerted or faved. I hope this keeps being worthy of your attentions.


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